Dear Friends,
As I’ve said before, your own magickal practice may take a different form than mine. This path is as unique as all of the different people who walk it. While I encourage you to use these posts as a jumping off point for the way that you study the craft, please don’t take these words as gospel, as it were. You should evaluate this advice and see if it works into your scheme of how the universe works. The reason I bring this up is because this post is about choosing a tarot card deck. Not everyone will be into using tarot as part of his or her practice. But if you are drawn to it, I’d like to offer some advice on how you can choose the right deck for you.
There are hundreds of tarot decks available, and that number jumps into the thousands when you consider the artisan decks that are created as one of a kind projects. There is a tarot deck out there for everyone. While this wide variety of deck designs certainly makes shopping for a tarot deck fun, it can also make the task somewhat impossible. Picking a deck out of the myriad of choices can make your head swim!
If you’re lucky enough to have an occult shop or magick shop in your town, I highly suggest that you go there to find a tarot card deck. There’s something to holding a deck in your hand and seeing how you respond to it that makes finding a deck a lot easier. However, if you’re ordering one online don’t worry. This post will give you enough tips so that you can make a wise choice depending on your tastes and preferences.
There are few different basic types of tarot cards. The first is the beginner deck. This type of deck is normally based on the Rider-Waite deck, which is a popular tarot deck that was created in the early part of last century. This deck is probably one of the most popular styles available, and many tarot instruction books use it as the example deck. For this reason, it’s easy to find a lot of information on the Rider-Waite deck and it’s many variations. If you’ve never read tarot cards before, a Rider-Waite may be a good choice. It comes in many different artistic styles, all of which have the same symbology. It has very simple illustrations that have basic interpretations. Once you learn the basic meanings of the Rider-Waite deck, you’ll be prepared to learn to read other decks.
Although the Rider-Waite deck is popular for both beginners and more advanced tarot readers, you may find yourself drawn to another type of deck. Rider-Waite is very simple, when compared to other decks with layered meanings. With other types of decks, you’ll find that your interpretive skills can become heightened and enhanced.
The best way to choose your own deck is to look for the different decks available and go with your gut feeling. Choose something that speaks to you on an almost imperceptible level. Let your intuition guide you as you look through decks. If you’re doing this online, you may want to narrow your choices down by choosing a mythology or symbology that you find yourself drawn to. There are decks for cat lovers, decks for those interested in Greek mythology, decks that are more Judeo-Christian based, Goddess decks, horse decks, astrological decks…the options really are that wide.
You may also want to consider what you are going to be using the tarot deck for. If you want a deck to have around to do a quick daily reading for yourself, you’ll want to choose something that is more personal. If you’re planning on doing readings for friends, choose a deck that has a wide variety of interpretations.
You can also select a deck based on the art work. Since you’ll be spending a lot of time with the cards and studying them, you need to choose something that you find visually appealing. There are Art deco decks, decks inspired by Renaissance paintings and even some abstract art decks made with computers.
Keep in mind that you should avoid any decks that make you feel uncomfortable and frightened in any way. Many decks lean toward gothic or dark images, and so it’s important that you choose something that inspires you. If you find inspiration in the darker side of things, so be it. But don’t feel like you have to choose a deck like that to be authentic.
No matter what type of deck you choose, keep in mind that this doesn’t have to be your only deck purchase. You can easily create a collection of tarot decks based on your interests and your growing spiritual practice. I have decks that I use for certain things, and you can develop a similar collection as your practice grows.
Brightest Blessings,
Rose Ariadne
Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”
